Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-10-02
THE DANCE OF DEATH.

Of brands still smoldered on the hearth
the wind blew violently, and a cold Octo
Der rain beat against the glasses. Evel
now aud then a vivid flash of lightning H.
animated the chamber with its pallid rays,
dimmlng the flame of the waxen taper
placed beside the body and playing upon
the CHASTITY face.
The Comteese Laurence no longer wept,
but pale and motiOnless, her eyes wide
open and fixed upon sPcae, sat Ikea hg-
ure of stone, seeing, recognising nothing
but the past, now dissipated and fading
like a wreath OF smoke.
A year ago, blushing and radiant with
happiness, she had entered this apartment
with him-this chamber where now she
alone. She remembered the
slightest detail-that it was cold, that he
drew her to his side and TO the fire, his
blonde mustache lightly touching her
cheek in a tender careSs; the rustling Of
her satin robe as it trailed upon the floor;
the orange blossoms that fell from her hair
and were crushed by her little feet. How
she had trembled at that tirst caress, yet
how happy she had been, her hand in his,
her ewes shyly falling under the ardor OF
his kisses. And now all was changed; he
WAS gone and she alone, with impish faces
hiding in the tapestry and leering at her
with knocking eyes and smiles upon their
lips from the curtain OF the bed and the
shadows of its twisted legs.
and then-She remembered everything,
those walks under the pines in the park,
" hen the wedding guests had leit'them,
where the sunshine, altering through the
screen of leaves, threaded her hair with
gold, and that tor hours together they
would wander in the wood gay and happy
~ children OF 10, blushing at the exchange
Of a kiss in 4 corner, starting at every
noise, the nibbling of n goat in the hedges,
the whispering OF the wind through the
trees.
One day, surprised by an autumn storm,
they sought the shelter of hollow tree,
the tempest pursuing them and laShing
and pounding at the branches. Return
ing home, in spite of her resistance and
fearful that she would be Ill
from cold and exposure, ne had lifted and
carried her in his arms like babe.
In the spring he had fallen i'll. She had
nursed him tenderly, but in spite of every
thing he had grown hourly worse; his Jaws
hollow, his lungs more lacerated and worn
by a hacking cough. And she had re-
nOunced everything for his sake, friends,
family and the company Of the gay and
Young, sacrificing her youth and strength
10 the service of this beloved one, never
leaving him, never crossing him; forestall-
my his slightest wish and pressing upon
his lips, now burning with fever, caresses
that in other days he had loved so well.
He had died this evening-giying her
his last look, his last smile and thought.
= He was dead; all was ended for
the wife, the poor, grief stricken wife, her
happy dreaming over, vanished, never to
return. She could not believe tit was
impossible that this heart which beat only
fol her could remain incensible when her
voice called-those lips which drank such
draughts of love from hers tremble no
more heneath the warmth of her CaresSes
She was beautiful; she had loved him, and
yet the grave and eternity separated them
forever.
Aud still the storm continued, the vlo-
lent peals of thunder making the chateau
shlver. In the court dog began to howl,
and all the dogs il the neighhOrhOOd SEEM
ed to answer him in the distance.
1t was horrible, horrible to die on night
like this; and, rising slowly, the comteSse
began to pace the floor, body and brain on
fire with fever.
Suddenly she ran to the window and
flung it open, bathing her aching brow in
the icy rain. The trees GI the park, strip
ned by the blast, stood ont like skeletons
She could plainly hear the cracking OF
their bones above the r0ar OF the tempest,
the kuell OF the church clocks striking
twelve, and the long, plaintive bowling OF
the dogs.
All at once a gust OF wind extinguished
the lighted candle; passing bat lightly
brushed against her cheek. Wild with
terror she retreated from the window and
brand upon the embers revived
hy the air, seated herself beside the fire.
Presently, by chance turning In the dlrec-
ton of the bed, the cOunteSse uttered
piercing scream, lost in the tumult OF the
storm, for the eyes of the corpse, two
CHASTITY disks, were turned upon her. She
wished TO tly from the chamber, but her
limbs refused to bear her, and that frozen
look still followed, still held and drew her,
some strange invincible power In 1t forcing
her 10 approach nearer that stiff and rigid
body. Pale as q Shroud, her neck extended
like that of bird lured by "a serpent, she
moved across the floor, she touched the bed (,
heI head bowed above the face OF the dead,
liyid and convulsed by death, but still
keeping those cold and sightless eyes upon
her.
Shuddering with terror, her hair on end,
Vet unable to help herself, she bent and
left kiss upon the chill and purple lips
All At once the blood seemed to rush To her
bran, she felt ~ if going mad, and with a
frantic gesture wound her arms about the
neck of the corpse. After all he WAS her
husband, her beloved one, though cold and
still as stone.
Then before her burning eyes, amid the
wailings OF the tempest and the howllng oil
the dogs, a strange thing happened; the
imps ON the tapestry rose up IN a band,
floating about the chamber a swarm oil
specters, rejoicing evidently in this dance
of death, over the arrival Of a sOul within
their realm, whirling, turning, swaying tn
and fro to the music of diabOlical Orches-
ira.
Aud then the dead man slowly lifted
himself from his couch, his jaws falling
apart, his eyes wide open, his arms extend
ed to grasp Der. The Countess Laurence
again endeayored to fly, and as before her
legs refused to bear her. A moment more
and two cold, icy hands were clasped
about her shoulders and the lips OF the
dead man glued to her own!
Against the clasp Of those icy hands
and the tOnch OF those frozen lips the
Countess Laurence struggled bravely, her
cries unheard in the noise Of the storm
and the waiing of the dogs, but she strug'
led in vain; the lips of the comte were fast
against her own, breathing away life itself
IN the ardor OF that ferOciOus kiss.
1t had now become battle, horrible
combat between that young and beautiful
woman and that livid, heartless corpse